


Beach Raiders

by JediSteampunk



Category: Let's Play (Webcomic)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Developing Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Oral Sex, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:15:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24198829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediSteampunk/pseuds/JediSteampunk
Summary: Samara Young and Charles Jones have been dating in secret for a few months now, to the point where even Sam's guild has no clue she has a boyfriend. But a planned day out at the beach is about to change that.This work takes place after my first story, A Fairytale for a Night.Notes after some chapters to highlight hidden references. All characters are from the Webtoon Let's Play by Mongie, which I do not own. Check it out for its nerdy references, awesome story, and Bowser the dog!
Relationships: Charles Jones/Sam Young (Let's Play)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 184





	1. Surprise Plans

Sam woke as the sun shone into her bedroom window with a smile. "Monday," she breathed. "I've got this."

The simple routine she had for herself seemed endless, boring, but comfortable. Working Monday through Friday, Friday nights were Raid Nights, then the weekend to herself until the workweek started over again. For over a year after college, that was the norm. And looking back on it, she wondered why she was ever happy with just that.

Charles texted her.

Charles: Good morning, Bunty. Thanks to you, I had sweet dreams last night. I look forward to seeing you at work.

Sam smiled as she texted back, imagining the look on his face as he would read her message.

Samara: Good morning, Mr. Jones. Come to think of it, I also had sweet dreams of my own. Something about fuzzy handcuffs and a blindfold came to mind in particular. I think next time you ought to try them out. See you at work!

Charles: I'll be happy to indulge in that fantasy sometime soon, my sexy minx. Until then, let's begin our work mode, otherwise I might dwell on that image all day.

Samara: Work mode activated, boss!

A wink emoji sent and Sam grinned with satisfaction. Her secret was so precious and thrilling. To most of the outside world, Samara Young was still an introverted woman who was learning to become the next CEO of her father's company, Young Technologies. But in reality, not only was Sam's heart set on becoming an indie game developer at some point, now she was officially off the singles market thanks to her Welsh boss, Charles Jones. It was a strange turn of events how Sam went from never considering even looking at a handsome man in such light, to now having a secret boyfriend. And the new routine behind it was nothing short of magical compared to the old one.

Mondays through Thursdays were the same routine. Go to work, assist Charles with paperwork and meetings, have lunch in her office, and after work go home on the bus. But once home, work mode was turned off for the both of them, and they would video chat to keep each other company as they each cooked and ate dinner. Sam would even bounce ideas off on Charles for her app game Evermake, coming up with new puzzles together and special items and prizes for the players.

Fridays were different. Instead of going home on the bus, Sam would wait in office with Charles until the remaining employees were gone. Almost everyone was gone by 4:30, giving the hidden couple a chance to leave together without suspicion. Charles would then drive Sam to fencing lessons, of which he would be her personal mentor, and together they would practice from 5:00 to 7:00. After working up a sweat, cooking would usually seem cumbersome, so Charles would order delivery as Sam retrieved her weekend bag and her guardian Bowser. By the time they would arrive at Charles' penthouse, food would be delivered promptly, and Sam would set up her laptop for Friday Raid Night with her guild.

Saturdays were the dream. With Sam sleeping over by Charles, it left them the entire day for fun. Whether it was staying in and playing console co-op games or going out for a date, Sam and Charles would enjoy themselves like a real couple, without the worries of others trying to intrude. By Sunday afternoon, Sam and Bowser would be escorted back to their apartment, left with the promise of continuing this intricate schedule.

Of course, there were a few people who already learned about them in the past few months. To Sam's neighbor Marshall, and his hot pink kitten Monica, they were the first to realize a true relationship blossomed thanks to Charles stealing Sam and Bowser away the first time on a Saturday afternoon. Eva was the next when she witnessed her favorite mentor give special lessons to the woman she had met some time ago in a hospital. Charles has to bare his teeth to keep Eva quiet about it, and so far she thankfully had… though reluctantly…

Even with that quiet threat looming every week, Sam felt free. Even with the watchful eyes of her father and his disgruntled attitude towards Charles, Sam was in a relationship with the most beautiful man she ever met. Platinum blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and a sultry smile that consistently made her blush were just the surface. His tender heart and willingness to heal for himself made him a man Sam would only _dream_ of being with. Now they had been dating in secret for four and a half months and the feelings she had for him were only getting deeper.

Sam walked into the daily grind, cheerily greeting Dee, Angela and Vikki. Dee started in on Sam's coffee, already versed on how she liked it best, as Vikki inquired on her friend. "Sam, do you have any plans this weekend?" Angela twitched with excitement beside the soothing yogi.

Sam hesitantly replied, "Um, kinda… why do you ask?"

Her red-headed friend grinned, "You're not going to believe it, Sam! Abe just announced that the guild should plan on going to the beach this Saturday!"

"Not just any beach either," Vikki clarified, "but a _private_ beach with its own bungalow. It's large enough to host _more_ than everyone and there's a perfect setup for outdoor grilling and a bonfire without disturbing anyone."

"That sounds… expensive…" Sam winced as she spoke. Granted, her parents were well off, but Sam's adamancy towards financial independence meant keeping a reasonable budget, even with her friends.

"That's the best part, Sam!" Angela's emerald eyes sparkled. "Olivia is going to pay for it! She wanted to treat all of us for how well the guild has done these past few months! We've been kicking so much ass lately we're even closer to the number two spot than ever!"

Now Sam's eyes were beginning to sparkle. "Wait, seriously? We _are?"_ Angela nodded and squealed. "Wow… I would totally love to go! Just… um… do you know if we can bring someone with?"

Angela grinned. "You mean Bowser? Olivia picked a place where pets are welcome, so you can definitely bring him."

Vikki's expression read Sam's words differently. "Angela, I don't think Sam meant just Bowser…"

Angela looked at Vikki, confused. "Wait, what?"

Vikki's knowledgeable smirk spread. "Sam, is there another person you want to invite?" Angela flinched. Her yogi roommate's question could mean anything in the sense of a platonic relationship to whoever Sam may want to invite, but…

"Um, well… I have been seeing a guy…" Even Dee nearly dumped Sam's coffee at the news as she and Angela both exclaimed in surprise. Vikki remained unfazed.

She tilted her head like a curious puppy. "Does this mean you're dating someone?"

"Y-yes," Sam laughed nervously. "He's actually my boyfriend…" Angela's and Dee's mouths both dropped.

"Congratulations, Sam," Vikki smiled coolly. "That's wonderful to hear. Olivia did say we are allowed to bring a guest each if we wanted. Is your boyfriend someone we know?"

"Uh, well… you haven't met him yet…" Vikki's eyebrows raised at that interesting answer, but Sam grabbed her coffee and set down her cash at the counter. "B-but I have to get going right now, before I'm late for work. Bye!" Sam left all three ladies dumbfounded in her wake, staring at her as she left the coffee shop. As she walked around the corner, she pulled out her phone and dialed a recent number.

"Miss Young? Is everything alright?"

Sam smiled again, still reeling from her friends' reactions. "E-everything is fine, Charles… I just wanted to ask you something real quick."

"Of course. What is it?"

"We don't have anything planned for Saturday yet, right?"

He chided gently, "Miss Young, we are in work mode right now…" Of course he would remind her of the rules. In order to prevent their home lives mixing in with their work lives, and to prevent raising suspicion about their relationship, Sam and Charles worked together to come up with a specific set of restrictions.

1\. Absolutely all aspects of their relationship beyond manager and assistant are to remain outside of the workplace. As a reminder, each day they were to "activate" Work Mode via text or call. Once it was activated, it remained so until they were both in their own homes at the end of the day, and confirmed with text or a call (Friday being the exception, since Charles and Sam would end Work Mode once at Fencing Club).

2\. During Work Mode, none of the following were allowed: hugging, touching in a sensual manner, whispers and other similar flirtatious acts, cutesy nicknames (including Bunty), kissing, texting, calling, or messaging anything flirtatious or sexual in nature, and any other sexual teasing or acts that could be conveyed as such.

3\. Both parties must trust that the other is committed to the relationship and will not bring in another party unless discussed and agreed upon ahead of time (though, this was something neither of them were outright looking for, but it was a relief to Charles to have it written down).

4\. Although both parties may inform someone that they are dating, neither party is to reveal who it is without the other person's expressed permission. Absolutely no coworkers or employees or Young family members are allowed to know until further notice.

5\. Neither party is allowed to use their relationship as an abuse of power towards each other at work or home.

6\. At the current status of dating, both parties are not to pressure each other to say "I love you."

Good thing she kept a copy of them in her daily planner. So much work to remember them! "Charles, I know we activated Work Mode, and we always say no exceptions, but if I may argue that this also involves rule number four, would that suffice for putting it on pause as long as I'm not in the office yet?"

Charles paused a moment, no doubt checking his planner to review his list of rules as well. "I suppose we can overlook it this once, as long as this is the only time it's happening."

She neared the corner to the building. "I'll make it quick. My guild friends have been doing so well they wanted to celebrate, so they're booking a bungalow on a private beach for overnight on Saturday. I mentioned I'm dating someone and I can already tell they want to meet you. Would you like to go and meet them?"

"And make a date of it at the same time?"

"Yeah…"

Although she couldn't see it, he smiled. "I'd be happy to."

"R-r-really? A-awesome! Okay, I'll let them know I'm bringing you with."

"Good, I'm excited for it. I'll see you soon."

"Y-yep! Bye."

Charles gave a small chuckle as he hung up the phone. He looked back in his saved photos on his phone, in particular the ones stashed in a folder labeled "Bunty." His secret selfies of him and his Samara on private dates zipped up the screen as he went down to his favorite. A picture of him in a light silvery tux and Sam in a formal gown that made her look like his favorite glass of Malbec.

Once they had started dating, Charles had fulfilled his promise and immediately searched for a way to heal from his past. After seeing all the wonderful pictures and beautiful moments they had together so far, he was so thankful that Sam found a therapy group for divorcees. He has started to open up his secrets to someone other than her and felt better by it. And thanks to the therapist, he was also receiving sage advice that has made his new relationship stronger. Even the wedding ring from his previous marriage was locked away in his home.

Regardless, there was still much more healing to do. "I trust you, Samara," he whispered in mantra to the picture. Charles set his phone away and returned to his work, hearing his secret girlfriend greet Lucy at the front desk.

Sam was expecting to video chat with Charles as soon as she got home, but a phone call on the bus from Angela and Vikki changed that plan. She changed into some easy shopping clothes and gathered up Bowser. It was time to shop for a new swimsuit. She texted Charles just in case.

Sam: My friends are probably going to wanna know who you are. What do I tell them?

The ladies arrived at a boutique with a plethora of cute styles to choose from. Angela scoured the racks on her own in frustration. Sam queried quietly to Vikki, "Is Angela okay? She seems… agitated…" Angela growled and grabbed a few suits off the rack, announcing she needed the dressing room.

"It's nothing bad," Vikki assured. "She's just bringing someone to the beach party."

"Seriously?"

She nodded slightly. "Yeah, she just wants to get a new suit that shows all of her assets. I don't blame her. _You,_ on the other hand, have been hiding from us, Sam." Sam flinched. Vikki could always seem the calmest, but there were times that her scary face was worse than Angela's. She never looked angry… just colder than the head ice zombie on a fantasy show. "Don't worry, Sam," she giggled. "I'm not upset at you, just surprised! And really, I'm so excited for you and I want to know more about the man you're keeping secret from us." Sam thought back to Charles' text.

Charles: Let's not tell them I'm your boss. You can say I'm a manager at your father's company, which is true. If you haven't already told them my name, you may. If they ask for more, start from where your father introduced us and just keep it vague from there.

"Well…" Sam hesitated, "What would you like to know?"

Vikki smirked a little. For once, Sam was being challenging, and piqued her interest. "Can we start with his name?"

"His name is Charles…" Sam answered slowly, checking Vikki's expression in between looking at the swimwear. Her friend nodded, prompting her on. "He's one lf the managers at work. My dad introduced me to the managers on my first day. He doesn't do that with everyone, though… I think he did it for me so that they all knew to look out for me."

Vikki giggled. "Sounds like him. So how did you end up dating him?"

Sam went over her words quickly before responding. "We didn't really interact much all year, at first. Then after my boss promoted me, we started working together a little more. I ended up telling him about my game one day, and he said he wanted to check it out."

"He played your game?"

Sam smiled with a nod. "Yeah. The whole thing. Then he asked me out for a casual dinner so that we could talk about it. Before I knew it, I started learning a lot more about him."

"And then you started dating after that?"

"Yeah, kind of. It was interesting trying to learn about him and see where things could go between us… eventually, we decided to give a relationship a chance."

"Have you two been _intimate?"_ Sam shivered at that. Vikki had that effect sometimes. "You _have_ been… no wonder you were asking about safe birth control options. Did you decide on one?"

"Yeah," she squeaked. "The ring one."

"Excellent choice, Sam."

"This one!" Angela stepped out from behind the curtain in a string bikini, her thong underwear straps riding over the strings at her hips. Red with orange tiger stripes and just covering her essentials. "Well? What do you think?"

"I think I might have a nosebleed," Sam kidded.

"Damn right," Angela beamed. "Now it's your turn!"

"I think I found something that would look good on you at work too, Sam." Vikki pointed to a sheath-style dress on the wall. Sam looked a little flustered for a moment, but then she thought back to her self-love exercise that morning. _'I love that I am trying new things, from putting myself out in the business world to trying on clothes I wouldn't otherwise even look at.'_

Sam grinned. "You know what? Why not?"


	2. TGIF, Raiders!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam breaks the news to the rest of the guild that someone is coming along for their party...

Sam looked over her list of items for the trip, triple-checking she had packed everything for the weekend. "Outfits, check. Swimsuit, check. Toiletries, check. Flip-flops, check… Besides my laptop, I should be good to go!" She checked herself over one last time in the mirror, happy with her new dress. She knew she would need to restrain herself from teasing Charles all day, but he was definitely going to be watching her in this. Makeup and contacts were an absolute must for this pretty number.

Charles straightened his tie in the mirror once more before looking over his beach night bag. His stomach flipped a little at the thought of meeting Sam's friends, though he did promise himself he can go through with it for her. If only he believed himself. _"Meeting your girlfriend's friends is a big step in any relationship," his therapist said. "Its your partner's way of saying 'I trust you to learn more about me.' Just remember that her friends are not her family, which means you could gain new connections with people who will want to get to know the real you."_

The words resonated all morning as he went to his car and drove to work. Once in his office and checking over the day's projects, he heard Lucy getting excited.

"Sam! You look so pretty!" Lucy seems to always think that now if Sam gets something new. _'She seems to be enjoying shopping now,'_ he mused.

"Thanks, Lucy!"

"It's so cute. Are the shoes new, too?"

"No, my friend Vikki bought them and hardly used them. When I got the dress she gave them to me."

"You never wear ones that are a bit high. Are they comfortable?"

"Yeah, they're actually really cozy. I think these were designer? I'll have to find out later, I need to get to work."

"See ya!" Charles focused on his current file as he heard Sam step in.

"Good morning, Charles," she greeted as she closed his door.

He set down the file as he looked over to her. "Good morning Miss… Young…" Charles was ill-prepared for the adorably feminine woman before him. Sam's sheath-style dress seemed French inspired, with a high-waist bottom that resembled a pencil skirt, but had inverted pleats for extra room to walk. What was most striking was the color: rosy pink, including her sexy pumps, and a very light gray. It was breathtaking on her.

"What do you think?" she grinned, already knowing his answer.

He smiled back, a touch of blushing spread along his cheeks. "You look stunning," he hushed. Even with the door closed, they could never be too careful.

"Thank you," she smiled, taking up her power pose. "I love that I have good friends who look out for me and encourage my growth as an adult." Charles smiled proudly, working his hardest to hold back any urges. He knew so much as touching this exquisite woman before him would make him lose all control.

"Very good, Miss Young. Shall we start our day?"

The office emptied quickly, vacant save for Charles and Sam by 4:30. Sam stayed at her desk, focused on sorting out the last few details of another proposal. Double check the data. Triple check the numbers. Everything keeps checking out perfectly. "You seem to engrossed in that." The deep Welsh voice snapped her out of her work.

"Hey," she smiled. "I just need to finish this up and I'm ready to go."

"Take your time, Bunty…" he lulled. Sam heard the click of her door being shut. Then another of it locking as she submitted her work.

"Charles, we're still in work mode," she chastised with a smirk.

"But we _are_ all alone, Miss Young," he slyly drew closer, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Sam firmly spoke, "No exceptions. Remember how we go into an argument last time over this very situation?" Charles winced as he remembered. They were nearly caught by Lucy, who came back into the office to get her purse. He was in a compromising position with Sam, kissing her and nearly removed her top. Granted, he thought the office was safe if it was empty, but Sam argued otherwise. His Bunty was growing her horns well.

"Very well, Miss Young," he sighed with a sting of guilt. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yeah. Let me just get my things…" They stayed mostly quiet until they got into the car.

As soon as they drove past the gate, Charles glowered, "Work mode deactivated." His hand went instantly for Sam's skirt, feeling up her inner thigh.

"Charles! Please be careful, what's gotten into you?"

"What's bothering me Samara, is that I have not been _within_ you yet."

No matter how long they had been together, even at this point Sam was still getting easily flustered by his words. "Y-you perv! Wait, w-what about fencing class?"

"My usual class cancelled, so I don't need to go in. And I want to be the first to take that dress off of you, so we're going to your apartment quickly, then to my home to remedy my infatuation."

"And if I _refuse,_ Mr. Jones?"

 _"Would_ you, Samara? Because based on the dampness of your panties," he brushed a finger to her center, which caused her to gasp, "you are _more_ than ready to fuck me and would _hate_ to turn me away."

"Darn it…" she squirmed, still being teased by his nimble digits.

"We're coming to your place now, Bunty. Let's be quick. I want to make you scream my name and I doubt your neighbors will appreciate overhearing."

Sam had a split second after releasing Bowser into the penthouse to be aware of Charles pinning her to the wall and seductively kissing her. She tugged at his tie before her wrists were immobilized by his hands, to which he relented and touched her everywhere else possible. Sam worked the tie off with practiced precision, tossing it aside. Charles dragged his hand along her back until he found the hindering zipper and pulled it down, relishing the feel of this cute garment on her. He was going to make her wear it often, she could tell.

Each of them took provocative turns stripping each other one piece of material at a time, littering the floor as they went. Charles' vest joined his tie, then his shirt, Sam's dress dropped to her feet, then Charles lifted her, allowing her shoes to drop. "When did you get that pretty thing? I had to control myself all day because you wore it." He started carrying her up the stairs with such a sensuous gaze.

Her enticing grin spread to her pink cheeks. "A few days ago, when I went swimsuit shopping. I take it that you like it?"

"I'll make sure that next time it makes it up the stairs on you before I slip it off of you slowly."

"Next time I'll make sure you're completely naked when I wear it."

He chuckled. "You're not completely naked, you know."

"But you always make me feel like it. And besides, I think I'd like to try making you more submissive."

Charles hummed at that thought, "I think I like the sound of that." He started the next set of stairs.

"You're not getting tired, are you?"

"Not at all, Bunty. I can handle carrying you without an issue."

"Charles, I'm slippi-" He lifted her up higher and brought her body closer to his mouth. She felt his lips on her neck.

"Better?" His grin pierced her the way those cool eyes chilled her with his lusting.

"Keep that up and I'll make you carry me everywhere," she smirked.

"With _pleasure,_ Bunty," he purred as he entered his bedroom. He let Sam down in front of the bed and licked along her neck and down to her breasts, still hidden beneath the pretty bra he recognized. Light grayish blue with matching lacy panties. "You're wearing the new set I got for you…"

"I might have had you in mind," she admitted. She turned him around and reached for the waistline of his pants. "I have a lot in mind for you…"

It wasn't often that Sam tried taking the lead in their fun, and it always stopped Charles in his tracks whenever she started. His fingers danced in her rich hair as she unzipped his fly and pulled down his pants. He gasped as she massaged the bulge that begged for her attention beneath his boxer briefs, for which she freed in tantalizing fashion. Charles sat down on the edge of the mattress, perhaps already weak in his legs from carrying her up the steps (or was it his blood pumping into his member at her behest?). He grasped handfuls of his comforter, his breath hitching with every amorous contact with his skin nearing his pelvic region.

Sam's mouth travelled from his chest down to his inner thigh in torturously slow kisses, licks and nips, tempting Charles to grab her hair and shove himself down her throat. _'Fuck, she tests me,'_ he tensed with impatience. Her touch was so soft, so gentle… she licked the base of his shaft to his tip, making it slick for her. But her favorite part was when Sam guided his foreskin back to reveal that rounded head of his and lick at its nerve residing beneath it. Charles watched her mouth come so close to covering his tip, jaw dropped and wanting to bury himself behind those pretty rosy lips. "Oh fy nuw, Samara," he moaned in delight, "how did you get so good at this?"

"I have you for a patient mentor," she smirked. "And I love seeing your face when I do this to you." Her tongue teased at his nerve again, daring him to break his resolve and possess her. Charles growled towards the ceiling as his fists clawed the bedspread. Satisfied with his reaction, Sam nestled her lips around his sex, dipping his rod into her mouth tentatively. As her head bobbed, Charles firmly took hold of the back of her head and bucked his hips slightly, respectful of Sam's limits. Still, she was not making it easy on him to keep his self control, and these swallowing motions she was taking pause to do were mind blowing.

"Duw, fuck ie," he hissed, imploring her to stop. The tip of her tongue circled his soft tip and stroked the nerve one last time before leaving it. Sam graciously awarded him by unclasping her bra and freeing her ample breasts. Holding her in place with his arm and petting the junction of her thighs beneath her panties with the other hand, Charles fiercely took his reward on Sam, planting a love bite near the peak of her left mound. "Ah! Don't mark me up too much, Charles," she squirmed. "I'm going to be showing off a bit more skin tomorrow."

"I doubt you'll show off right there, Samara," he chuckled. He brought her closer and whispered up to her ear, "But if you want me to, I can always leave a trail of them at your neck and give your friends something to talk about."

"Oh god, please don't," she begged. Charles felt her get even wetter in her panties, making him smirk and want to play with her more. He pushed the material aside and slipped a finger inside her, roughly raking his teeth along her neck as he penetrated her and causing her to gasp. "Then I'll make you think of me the entire time we're with them. They'll wonder why every time to see my face you turn red." He curled in a second finger, devouring her breaths and moans with sensual kisses.

"Then I'll make sure you do the same," she huskily promised. His eyebrows flew up at that, still shocked with her sudden bouts of dominance. Curious by her challenge, he removed his fingers, savoring the taste of her on his tongue. Sam slipped her panties down to the floor and kicked them aside, giving her the freedom to straddle his lap.

"You know I'll want to pin you against the window, right?" He wrapped his arms around her with a grin.

"Maybe I liked it last time."

"Fancy yourself a kink now?"

 _"You're_ my kink now, you tell me." Charles relished in that statement with a sultry grin.

"Then how could I ever turn you away from your fetish?" With that, he plunged into her slit. Sam rode his cock and cried out fervently, giving a small echo off the walls beyond his open loft space. Charles grinned even wider and grappled her hair. "That's right Samara," he commanded, "louder! Don't hold back!"

"Aaah!" Sam clenched her thighs together around him. No, this won't do. His hand reached underneath and his finger pierced into her asshole. Instantly, she was pounding into him harder. Sam faced up to the ceiling and shrieked erotically, "Charles! Aaaaaahhh! Yesss so good!" Bowser yapped a little down below, but walked once he saw the barricade Charles installed at the bottom step for this very reason.

"Don't stop, Bunty… I love hearing your voice ringing in my ears!"

"But Charles I-Aaaaaaah!" Charles pounded into her harder with renewed vigor, before lifting her and pressing her back to the glass wall. Sam went louder, keeping her face pointed away from him to prevent hurting his ears. He removed his finger from her back end and held her thighs as her legs and arms wrapped around him. The window stuck to her skin, holding her in place, perspiration building with each huff off their heated breaths as Charles ravaged her deeply. Sam turned redder as the heat within her grew hotter. "Give it to me, Charles," a guttural order raged from her throat. "Make me cum!"

Charles didn't let her down. He could feel those deliciously wet walls tighten around him, and it only made him want her more. Oh, how he could only seem to crave her for more than he felt in these moments. She was constantly so tender, so pure, that even in the scorching flames of passion, where her innocence melted away and she was this authoritarian who demanded her desires be fulfilled, Sam was his ecstasy and alcohol, some strange concoction that he couldn't see himself staying away from. And he was not about to fail this sex goddess in his arms. "As you wish, Samara," he growled back. His mouth anchored to her neck, lips caressing, teeth raking, tongue massaging, Sam tingled everywhere as her clenching core peaked and burst with her wetness. It spurred him on to carry her back to the bed, lay her down, and continue thrusting within her, causing an aftershock of an orgasm that pushed him to explode inside her.

Arms aching and now covered in sweat, Charles pulled himself out and fell beside her. His biceps trembled furiously at him. At least being without his fencing lesson for the day didn't deter a good workout from happening. Sam crawled to the nightstand and pulled an inhaler out for a quick puff. It was a good thing Charles thought to suggest speaking to her doctor about increasing how many she could order at a time, it allowed her to keep a couple in Charles' home, so at least one was always close. She rolled onto her back, giving her lungs more room again as she breathed. "Wow…"

Charles laughed, rolling back to her and kissing her sweetly. "You're so _wow,_ Samara."

She giggled back, her smile growing so wide her cheeks were becoming sore. "Now I _am_ going to be distracted, thanks to you. How can I introduce you to my friends after _this?"_

"With a smile, like you always do at work," he nuzzled noses with her. Sam's stomach roared with a rumble.

Her cheeks flushed red. "Dang it… so embarrassing."

Charles chortled as he stood to search for his phone from his pants pocket. "What should we order tonight, Bunty?"

"Asian food sounds divine…"

"Speedy Panda?"

"Yes!"

"Then you shall receive," he bowed, eliciting another giggle from her, then dialed the number.

Charles munched on the remaining lo mien as Sam's eye twitched with her unadulterated focus on her laptop screen. She had been at it for over an hour, raiding with her guild, and the field was littered with hobgoblins that seemed never-ending. "Almost there guys," Abe's bass voice assured. "We're close to the end." Sam kept her eyes on them, shifting between her items, spells, and targets in perfect precision. The numbers seemed to start dying at last. Abe spoke again. "Last few! We got this!"

Angela's tank cleared the last of them. Dallas, Abe and Angela cheered as the others smiled and typed their praises to one another. Sam breathed a sigh of relief and looked back towards Charles, "We got it!"

"Way to go, Samara!"

"Oh my god," Angela exclaimed over the mic. "Sam, was that _him?_ Was that your boyfriend?"

"Oh crap," she hushed before addressing the uproar in her ear. "Um… yeah guys, that was him…"

Abe spoke first, trying to keep a light tone. "You've had a boyfriend Sam? Good for you!"

"Holy shit," Dallas chuckled. "Are pigs flying? Seriously?"

Angela hissed, "Shut the fuck up, Dallas! You wanna die?!"

"Calm down, Angela," Vikki lulled, calming her roommate. "Don't forget, you did just spring it on everyone without even warning Sam. But regardless of your reaction, Dallas, this is still a pleasant surprise for us. We should be supportive of Sam."

"Congratulations, Miss Young," Edgar stated plainly. Olivia typed in the chat, "Way to get you some, Sam! I'm curious to meet this guy tomorrow. If he's coming, that is?"

Sam relented, "Yes, Olivia, my boyfriend Charles is coming over. I think you guys will like him."

Olivia responded complete with smiley emojis, "Can't wait!"

Hesitantly, Angela voiced next. "Umm, sorry about blabbing, Sam… that was wrong of me."

"It's okay, Angela," she assured. "I wasn't sure how to bring it up, anyway. So thank you for pushing me to."

"I… um… I actually have to ask too, Olivia… is it okay if I bring someone, too?"

The redhead could feel all focus being switched from her best friend to her as she awaited Olivia's answer. "Of course you can. Who is it you're bringing?"

"U-uhm, oh guys, it looks like I have to be going. Talk later, bye!" She logged off instantly. Olivia left a shifty-eyed emoji on the screen.

"Actually, Angela does have a point," Abe added. "I know we normally stay on for a few more hours, but I think its best we end it here for today. I'm planning on heading over first thing in the morning, and some of us might still have packing to do."

"That's a fair point," Vikki added. "We can all use the extra rest tonight."

"A'ight, I'm out!" Dallas clicked off right away. Olivia left a waving hand and clicked off next, followed by a silent Edgar.

"See you tomorrow," said Sam. She logged off her game and took off the headset. Just then, an email pinged to her inbox. Olivia had sent them the address and directions to the bungalow, a ten bedroom, 4 bathroom beach house of a mansion. "Whoa. This is going to be cool."

Charles walked up and peeked over her shoulder. "Looks beautiful. I'm excited for tomorrow."

Sam's heart fluttered. Smile spreading and eyes playful, she looked into his sky eyes. "Yeah. Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> • "Duw, fuck ie": God, fuck yes!
> 
> • Speedy Panda: Panda Express. Yummy Asian food…


	3. Sleepless Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After waking up in the middle of the night, Sam questions the feelings she and Charles have.

The warm sun touched her skin as she crawled up to it. She was a real fish out of water alright, as the waves shushed around her hips and down her scaly fin with each push she flopped towards the shore. But she had to save the golden-haired man before he had drowned, and while she thought it was strenuous to keep his head above the surface despite the storm, dragging him to the beach without letting him breathe in water was worse. Samara heaved a sigh of relief once the man was halfway out of the water and immediately checked his chest for breathing.

She felt him rise and fall, the rhythmic beating of his heart reaching her cheek. She smiled gratefully as she lifted herself off of him, watching his beautiful face much more closely than she could have hoped. How was a human like him so perfect? She wished she could see his sky eyes again, but waking him would only make him fearful of her. That's what all humans thought, right? Her lengthy dark locks lingered along his pale skin in rivers and waterfalls. If only she could touch him…

Samara started shifting herself towards the ocean again, knowing her father would be looking for her sooner or later. But a grip on her wrist stopped her. The same eyes of the sky were now looking directly at her in a mix of shock and awe. "Don't go," he pleaded, that hypnotizing accent pulling her in.

"I… I have to…" she countered weakly. "I'm not supposed to be here."

He shuffled closer to her, eyes locked to hers. His warm hand reached up to her cheek, cradling it and drawing her near to him. "Please don't go… not yet…" His lips caressed hers lovingly, tenderly as their bodies sank back to the sands. Then she felt his hand travel down, searching, feeling…

Sam stirred from the dream, feeling a familiar pressure between her legs as long fingers petted her little mound beneath her panties. Charles breathed hotly onto her bare shoulder as his hand forced its way down her silky shorts and then under her cotton panties. She moaned in surprise, feeling how determined he was to curl his fingers inside her and make her wet. "Mm~ Charles…" she whimpered. His hand became even more aggressive, pulling her hips closer to him as his bulge rested between her covered bottom cheeks.

"Charles," she tried again, even though her body was clearly responding to him. She could just make out the clock saying 3:36am. "Charles it's late… I thought you were tired…" But his hand was undeterred. _'Wait a minute, he hasn't said a word yet,'_ she realized. Curious, Sam turned over to discover her boyfriend breathing heavily and completely turned on, but still fast asleep. He grunted like a Neanderthal, low and moaning, removing his fingers from her and licking them. Sam watched him intently, now teased thoroughly and wanton, for Charles to wake, but he soon began to still again into a deep slumber.

"Oh _heck_ no," she whispered. No way was she going to let him turn her on and leave her like this! Sam shimmied herself a little upright and took off her silky top, then proceeded downward under the covers. Still hard beneath his pajama pants, she quickly worked to unbutton his fly and set his member free from its material prisons. He still smelled clean from his shower before bed. Too perfect.

Charles was sleeping aimlessly in a dreamless void when he felt his primal urge and a wet warmth on his fingers. It hardly registered to him that he had even been moving at all in the depths of this realm. Or was it the night sky? Nothing came to vision, it was just a deep recess of his mind that he could feel. But then another feeling crept in. Another warmth down low in his body. His eyes twitched as he began to recognize it. His manhood? Was he hard? That was possible. He always is by morning, after all. He could feel a surge a of pleasure coursing through him, pulsing strokes sliding up and down his cock. Wait, this feels too realistic…

His eyes forced open in the dark, that feeling he started dreaming about grew stronger the more conscious he became. He lifted back the covers to discover his gorgeously topless girlfriend on his arousal. "Samara, what are you doing?"

Sam lifted from him and crawled up to meet his gaze. "You were handsy with me first," she argued, "so I decided to return the favor. You're not going to turn me on and leave me like this, Mr. Jones."

"Well, if we're returning favors," he lulled, holding her wrists and rolling on top of her, "I should be returning the favor from earlier." Charles kissed her passionately, drawing moan and gasp from her pretty throat, which he tended to next with nips and licks.

She breathed, "What favor do you mean? You were carrying me up the stairs and holding me against the window earlier."

"Not for that, Samara." He released her wrists and proceeded to pull down her shorts. "I have other plans." He crept downward. Lips planted kisses down her smooth skin. His tongue trailed along her inner thigh and up around her folds, to the top of her little crest. He blew cold air on her, making Sam shiver. Then he decided to surprise her by inserting his fingers inside her before blanketing his tongue over her clit. God, how he wished he could have her here every night, tasting her like this after waking her like that. He wanted her so much more than just the few times she could stay on the weekends…

His craving of her seemed to transfer to her in the form of the electric pulses flowing through her body. Charles felt her hands sifting through his soft tresses, petting him and encouraging him to continue in his ministrations. _'As you wish,'_ he smirked to himself. He stroked his lips over her tender peak, making her twitch. Massaging his soft lips over her tiny bud, Sam began to clench and stiffen. So close. His tongue widened over her folds in circular motions, warming her up for her budding bliss. So sweet. Charles licked back up once more, grinning to himself for the delicious taste he enjoyed so much. So succulent. Her fingers gripped his hair. _'Oh Samara…'_

Sam blossomed perfectly for him in a series of orgasmic convulsions. Tastefully erotic shrieks echoed once more through the lofty room and down the rest of the open space. Bowser woke up to the noise and grunted in his special doggy bed, going back to sleep. Enamored by her face, Charles watched Sam relish in her wet explosion. As she breathed to slow her heart rate, he patiently waited, nuzzling and cuddling her softly. "You're… too good… for me…" she huffed.

"Never say that to me, Samara," he quietly chided. "From the moment I realized I was attracted to you, all I could think was how I _never_ deserved you. You showed me otherwise. Now, I can't let you go."

Sam paused a moment before testing the waters. "What are you saying by that? That you can't let me go?" Charles stopped and stared at her almost blankly. He had been talking much more openly to his therapist as of late, and their conversations gave him a new perspective about himself. How the divorce from Gweneth froze his heart from relationships as a defense mechanism, but also prevented him from trying to develop a new one. That is, until Samara broke in and melted it. There was still much more for her to unlock, but the fact that they came this far… Sam's eyes widened as she realized Charles was frozen in his crucial thought. "I-I'm sorry, Charles," she suddenly looked away. "I forgot rule six."

Oh yes, Charles bit back his words as she reminded him of it. The day they went to his penthouse for their first Saturday together, Sam insisted that for his sake, they should establish boundaries that gave Charles a better sense of security for trying to date her. Five rules were written down in her notebook, edited for transparency as needed. Then she wrote rule six.

6\. At the current status of dating, both parties are not to pressure each other to say "I love you."

"That should do it," she nodded.

Charles checked the paper. "What's with this one?" He pointed to the final written rule.

"I just… figured you would want that."

"Samara, you're already aware of my boundaries with these others. I don't think I need that one so much."

"Then, leave it for me." He furrowed his brow in confusion. "Just hear me out, Charles," she pleaded before he could retort. Charles nodded, listening patiently. "I gave this a lot of thought, and being that this is the first time in my life I have ever been in a relationship with anyone, the last thing I want to do is rush things by accident. And especially considering your past, and how much it affected you, I would hate to screw things up by trying to make you feel an emotion that you don't genuinely have for me. I already went through that once. I don't want it to happen with you." She reached for his hands and held them. "I want to make this work, Charles. But I want to make it at _your_ pace. Not mine."

Was she at a different pace with him already? Did she already…? Charles shelved the thought, focused on his sweet lamb feeling unbearably guilty through no fault of her own. "Samara," he held her chin and turned her back to him. "Don't be sorry for thinking that way. It makes me happy to know you feel comfortable to trust me. And I promise to answer your question, just not now. I want to finish what we started."

She smiled in hesitation. "You still see me as beautiful even when I'm awkward?"

"The most beautiful woman I ever laid my eyes on, Bunty." His lips pressed hers softly, then moved into sensual fervor. Sam's desire and curiosity fought with her as he settled over her, rubbing his stiffening rod over her wet crease. _'Why does he treat me so tenderly? The way he looks at me and talks to me… it seems more vulnerable than ever before, but it isn't fair of me to make him tell me something he might not feel.'_ Her thought broke as his arousal plunged within her. Softly lit by the moon, Charles awed her half-lidded expressions. This face, so gentle. He kissed her quivered lips as he moved inside her, lingering as much as he could there. Every bit of her was heavenly.

"Samara," he murmured in a rasp. His fingers entwined with hers as he pressed down on her, grinding with hot breaths. The air felt rich with a new warmth between them, an unspoken emotion they had been soaking in during these moments. Sam's thighs rubbed at his legs as his pace quickened, her core became tight and her breasts tingled with stimulation. "So… beautiful…" he whispered in her ear. Her hips bucked up to him, her peak being met by his skin. Charles held her closely as he delved into that flowery blossom, filling her with his seed as his flame burned its brightest within him.


	4. Meeting the Guild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment has arrived! Charles Jones meets the guild...

**"In one half mile, destination will be on the right."**

"I think I'll be fine without this for the rest of the way," Charles clicked off the GPS function as he drove next to the stretch of beachfront. He heard Sam try one of her slow breaths to keep her heart rate down. It barely helped, considering how many she had been taking for a few minutes now. Charles reached for her hand and squeezed gently. "Samara, is there anything I can do to help?"

Her words huffed between breaths. "I… don't know…" Bowser panted as he looked out the window towards the ocean, watching the houses and people zip past. Charles furrowed his brow in the small silence, trying to think of anything to help keep her talking.

"Shall we go over what we discussed? Or would you prefer not to?"

"Yes... Let's do that."

"First, let's remember why we came," he encouraged.

"For you to meet my friends."

"And to have fun," he offered. "This is our Saturday together. And I'm excited to be at the beach with you for the first time."

"So am I," she smiled. "I'm just nervous introducing you."

"Am I the first man you have introduced?"

"Well, no. I have brought my friends to meet one of my guy friends. We've all been friends ever since."

"May I offer some advice?"

She hesitantly nodded, "Okay."

"Just pretend as though we're friends as I meet them. They know my connection with you, but if you can imagine me as just your friend, then I feel as though you'll have a much easier time telling them about me."

She thought it over. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

"And keeping to the fact that we just work together on projects will be useful as well."

"So that it doesn't look like I'm lying?" His smirk was all the response she needed. "Do you ever feel weird about playing with the truth like that, Charles?"

"Not when it comes to work, Bunty. As for your friends, this is merely precaution until you feel prepared to tell them the truth."

"I doubt I ever will, at least until Dad finds out first… maybe."

"One bridge at a time, Samara. In the meantime, I will follow your lead." The mansion bungalow came into view.

"This must be it," Sam piped. "That's Olivia's car." Charles replaced his hand at the wheel and turned into the driveway to park. As he turned off the engine, he looked over to his pensive girlfriend and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"I'm right here, Samara," he smiled. "I promise to help make this day special."

"You already did, Charles," she grinned back, relaxed. "I'm so happy you're with me." They reached for each other to share a reassuring kiss. Bowser joined in, licking both their cheeks as he hopped up on the console. "I'm glad you're with me too, Bowser," Sam giggled. "You ready to see our friends?" He ruffed and bounded to the door.

Charles started for the trunk as Sam leashed Bowser. "I'll start getting our things, if you want to go inside first?"

"Alright. I'll figure out our room." Bowser finished his break and trotted for the door, following the familiar smells of human friends with Sam. Opening the door, she was met by the young teen host with blonde hair and green eyes. "Hi Olivia," she weakly greeted.

**"Hello Sam,"** Olivia's phone sounded. **"Good to see you."**

"Um, is there a particular room we've been assigned to?"

**"No, but some of them have been claimed already. I asked everyone to hang a name placard on their doorknob in order that you can find yours easily,"** she gestured to the small side table. A few plastic placards were still sitting there, one including her name, Angela, Vikki, and Dallas. **"Bedrooms are up the stairs, each of them have their own bathroom. We are reserved for overnight, but must leave by noon tomorrow. Easiest way to the beach is behind me, through the kitchen and out the French doors. So by the way, is your boyfriend joining us?"**

"Yeah, he's just getting our stuff now."

"Hey, Sam," Abe appeared from the kitchen. Olivia's butler, Edgar, walked behind him, dressed in a casual outfit for a shock to Sam's eyes. "How are you?"

"Good, Abe," she tentatively waved. "Edgar, I'm not used to seeing you dressed casually."

He looked like the assassin in The Expert, glasses and all, but the Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts were quite different from his usual suit. He grunted in agreement, "A good morning to you, Miss Young. I often prefer my suit myself, but I'd rather not get sand on it today."

Angela and Vikki entered through the door next, suitcases in tow. "Oh my god, Sam," Angela grinned. "I can't wait to see him!"

"Let's move our stuff over first," Vikki nodded towards the stairway. Everyone picked up bits of conversation by this point, when Sam realized they were leaving space for her mystery man to walk through the door. As it clicked open behind her, and the platinum head of hair appeared, Sam rushed back to the door to hold it open. The room went silent as all eyes gaped at the tall pale figure with bright blue eyes.

But Sam didn't notice at first as she reached for a suitcase. "Do you need help?"

"Don't worry, I think I have it," he tugged at them over the threshold. He glanced over at the small crowd as he set them aside. "Samara, are they your guild friends?" At the sound of her entire name, everyone's eyebrows raised in shock. He actually calls her by Samara?

"Y-yes…" Sam turned back towards them, finally ready to speak up. "Guys, this is Charles Jones. He's my boyfriend." As if on cue, Abe approached first, holding out a hand. "Charles, this is Abe, our guild leader."

Charles took his hand. "A pleasure, Abe."

"Nice to meet you, man. Where does your accent hail from?"

"I'm from Wales, originally."

"That's really cool! You'll have to tell me a bit about it while we're hanging out." Abe then looked over to Sam. "Quite a guy, Sam," he winked.

"Cripes, Abe…" she mumbled.

Angela bounded up next, Vikki trailing behind. "Nice to meet you, Charles. I'm Angela, one of her _best_ friends."

"It's an honor to meet you, Angela. Samara has told me often of her supportive friends, especially you and Vikki, is it?"

"Yes, that's me," Vikki soothed, hand extended. As Charles took it with a smile, the empathetic yogi glimpsed into a cold ruin of a temple, but a promising warmth was beginning to radiate within it. A broken gold ring sat on the cracked altar, and guarding it a figure named Distrust stood guard, wearing keys around its neck. Lined below the altar sat five chests, each with a different label. One marked "Relationships" was already opened, its key sticking from its lock. However, the others remained shut, each with their own labels. "Home, Aspirations, Father, Friend." Vikki pulled back from her vision, smiling. "You have a good heart," she lulled. "I'm glad to see that."

Eyebrows raised, Charles tried his best to say something to move the conversation. "Well, so she tells me… I'm sure she had been saying the same to you?"

"No, I just happen to be able to read these things. I'm happy to see you with Sam." Before he could say anything else, Olivia approached, texting.

**"Welcome to the Guild, Charles Jones. I am your hostess, Olivia."** Although her text was polite, even Sam could see that her expression was unimpressed at best. But her knight was not about to give up.

"Thank you for allowing me to join you and your friends, Olivia," he bowed slightly. "I must say, this place is absolutely beautiful. It reminds me a bit of my hometown, with the cobblestones and European architecture. I used to learn to fence in a place built similar to this. Clearly, you have excellent taste." Olivia's eyes began to sparkle as his messy waves settled around his face. She began to picture him as a certain man in black in a fairytale movie she grew up with.

The Lolita smiled a bit and texted. **"Sam has excellent taste herself. It's too bad you're probably old enough to be my father."**

Sam turned crimson. "Olivia!" Charles laughed gaily as Olivia grinned widely. "Oh… she's… joking?"

**"Call on Edgar, my assistant, should you need anything,"** Olivia continued, unfazed. Edgar then stepped forward with a slight bow, his bald head shining.

"Master Jones," he acknowledged.

"I could get used to hearing that," Charles smirked. "Thank you for your hospitality as well, Edgar." The butler nodded, but seemed fine with the new presence.

"Hey wait," Sam piped. "Where's Dallas? I thought he was coming?" Just then, the door opened.

"The fun has arrived, everybody!" Dallas paraded inside. "Swanky place, Olivia."

**"I'm amazed you recognize good taste when you actually see it,"** she quipped over her phone. Dallas started to scowl, but a familiar voice called from the door.

"Dallas! Help me out, man!" Tall, muscular, and long luscious blonde hair. Link walked in, trying to haul both suitcases over the threshold. Granted, he could do this easily on his own, but trying to give Dallas responsibility for his own things was even worse.

"Hey Link," Abe greeted. "Just dropping off Dallas?"

"Actually," a red-faced Angela spoke, "He's with me…"

Abe grinned at her. "Oh, you _finally_ asked him out?"

Angela flinched. "What do you mean, _finally?"_ As Link turned to set the suitcases down, he noticed Sam, now turning pale at his presence.

"Oh, hey Sam," Link hushed. When he saw the figure next to her, he spoke loud enough for the others to hear. "Do I know you?"

Sam looked down to the floor, dead on her feet. Abe chimed in, "Ah, Link. This is Charles, Sam's boyfriend. They've been dating a while now, but I imagine she doesn't want her dad to know yet. Charles, this is Lincoln and that's his little brother, Dallas."

Dallas gawked at him. "Uh, 'sup?"

"Wait a minute…" Link looked him over again, remembering. "I met you at the hospital, when Sam's neighbor was hurt. Sam… didn't you say he's your boss?"

A collective "WHAAAAAAAT?" resounded through the mansion. Sam could feel her head smoke with embarrassment. With a resolute sigh, Charles took her hand and explained, "Yes, I am Samara's boss. We've been dating secretly because her father is quite protective of her, but Samara wanted to introduce me to all of you as her boyfriend. We would deeply appreciate the continued discretion from all of you."

Silence fell as the guild members mulled over his words. Now it made sense why Sam would keep Charles such a secret, especially if he works just under Samuel Young Sr. Abe placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Don't worry, Sam. We got you." Sam looked back up to him, a hopeful gleam in her deep eyes. "We'll keep you guys on the down-low until you guys are ready to talk about it to him. So in the meantime, guys," he turned back to the guild comrades, "any pictures you guys take, make sure they don't have them in it before you post on the internet. Got it?" They all nodded, understanding the depth of their situation now.

"Th-thanks guys," Sam stuttered.

"Come on," Abe exclaimed. "We're at the beach, guys! Let's hurry up and enjoy it!" The buzz of excitement slowly returned as Abe went back to the kitchen, calling Edgar to help him with the burgers. Vikki suggested getting into swimsuits, which made Angela dash madly upstairs for her clothes. Dallas still stared at Sam's new boyfriend, until Link handed off his suitcase to him and started up the steps to get a space for himself.

"Oh yeah," Sam went for her name placard, showing it to her guest. "Let's grab a room."

Charles went for their cases. "Sounds good to me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> • The Expert: The Professional, an excellent film of an assassin who rescues a young girl from being murdered.


	5. Beach Party!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to get a little awkward...

Bowser bolted to the beach with Charles trailing behind him. Sam still needed to sort her things for the beach accordingly, so she insisted on sending him ahead. As the shore and sand came to view, so did Abe and the other men, setting up the picnic areas. Dallas roughly unfurled the beach blankets with grumbled frustration. Link had finished filling the second cooler with ice as Edgar unpacked beverages for each. Abe fired up the grill, then noticed the newcomer. "Hey Charles," he waved. "Would you mind helping us out?"

"Not at all. How can I help you?" Bowser sniffed around a little, then sat by Abe with hopeful eyes.

"We could use a couple of strong arms at the umbrellas. Would you mind teaming up with Link? Dallas does much better when he gets a bit of space from his brother sometimes."

"Sure… I can do that." Although Charles was smiling politely, his guard remained at the paramedic approaching.

"Thanks for volunteering," Link nodded. "Umbrellas are over there. If you don't mind holding them steady, I'll anchor them to the ground."

"I can manage that." They went over to the embankment, where the umbrellas sat in waiting for setup. Charles grabbed one and pierced the end into the sand as Link brought the sledgehammer. He started tapping on the end with precision, driving the pole into the ground.

"So," Link treaded to break the silence, "how is work going with Sam?"

Charles looked up with a furrowed brow. "I beg your pardon?"

Link flinched under his icy stare. "I-I mean… h-how is she with her training? She mentioned that she's been learning a lot more since being promoted and all…"

He arched a brow, but continued nonetheless. "She's doing quite well. Samara is a fast learner, even though she considers herself incapable at times. But she always surprises herself by surpassing everything that challenges her."

"That's good to hear…" Link slammed a few more taps on the umbrella. "I'm glad she's thriving more."

"May I ask what your relationship is like with Samara?" Lincoln Hudson gazed carefully at the icy eyes of a jealous man who considered him a threat. It irked him to see that, causing his guard to rise instantly.

"What's it to you? I understand you're her boyfriend and all, but Sam isn't someone to be messed with." Charles could practically see a guardian aura emerge from Link's deep azure orbs, growling at him like a lion. Dr. Molly's voice rang through his mind. _"It's normal to feel troubling thoughts after going through an experience such as your own," she assured in his recent appointment. "Meeting close friends of your partner's is nerve wracking, because in your mind you know they already established a close relationship with her. But in order to establish a trusting relationship with someone new, what do you feel is the wisest choice?"_

_"To give them the benefit of the doubt," he thoughtfully answered, "even if I don't know them."_

_"You're a smart man, Charles," she noted. "But as you meet her friends I want you to dial back your analytical thinking a bit and think of them as extended family members to Sam. They're not trying to get to know you as General Manager. They want to learn about Sam's new boyfriend."_

Charles gave a sigh. "My apologies, Link… You're correct that Samara is not to be toyed with, especially when she has such good friends to protect her."

Link considered his words, begrudgingly. "Is it because of when we met at the hospital? I'm sorry I can't tell the difference between someone who is Welsh or English, but I didn't mean to offend you about it." He finished the last knocks with the sledgehammer.

"Eh, no… that's not why I had a grudge with you…" He stood and gathered the next umbrella, continuing the work as they talked.

"Then what _is_ the problem? Is it something I did?" With the pole placed, he went to anchor it.

"The last time I met you, Samara seemed rather… fond of you."

Link paused at the memory. Sam's neighbor, Marshall, in the hospital room. She dialed 911 and went to check on him. Then Link met back up with her in the presence of the man who tried performing CPR on the patient-her boss, no less. And when Sam's boss told her she could go with him… the memory of her hands on his bicep caused him to frown. The sudden interest she had in him, especially around this guy, never really made sense that night. And then he made things worse. "It was a weird time for us… if you want to know."

"I honestly don't mean to pry, Link-"

"No, don't worry about it. You're probably going to hear about it eventually and I don't want to make it a big deal, anyway."

"Alright then…"

"I met Sam when we were teenagers. She was going through a rough patch with her health, and it so happened my dad had cancer and his hospital room was next to hers. Eventually, we became close friends. Even my little brother got into online gaming with her and joined her guild. But after Dad died, I focused a lot more on my career, my family, and getting into shape… and somewhere along the way I started to have an attraction towards Sam."

Charles felt his chest tighten with that image as Link gave him a moment to soak in his story. "So, did she know?"

Link stifled a laugh. "Nah, Sam had no idea. I think she had me filed away as a friend from the start, so she hardly thought about going on a date with me, even when I asked her out once. By the time that night at the hospital happened, Sam was trying to make herself comfortable towards me in a more intimate way-"

 _"Intimate?"_ Charles' leer returned at that word.

"As in, she wanted me to kiss her, nothing more."

Link's small snip made him check his attitude again. "Sorry… You were saying?"

"I was thinking of kissing Sam… hell, it was something I had pictured for a while, but when I was about to, I realized I couldn't. So I stopped."

That was unexpected. "What stopped you?"

"It didn't feel right to do it. The more I look back on it, the more I wonder what made me pine for her that way, because when I finally had the chance to start something more with her, I didn't have those same feelings anymore. Something about the reality of it all, changing a close friendship into something more… it just didn't work in my heart… and I couldn't go through with it."

Pieces of Sam's actions seemed to fall into place. The day after their first date, when she confessed being up late that night and thinking of him. _"Please, god, don't…" she begged, trembling in his arms. "I-I can't take anymore rejection right now."_ Then there was the day she gave him her proposal for Indigineer. _She pushed him away, thanking him for understanding her feelings. "You know how emotional the Young family can be." The rest was nearly a muffled blur for him, her words had permeated his ears in time for him to respond weakly towards her._ Even then, he knew he wanted to be with her. And yet, she turned him away, trying to be a grown-up about their work relationship.

"May I ask one last thing?"

Link had finished the last tap with the top, and stepped back to let Charles open it. "Sure, go ahead."

He stretched the canopy open and stood. "You said she was trying to make herself comfortable towards you. What did you mean by that?"

Link sighed, still weighed with guilt. "When we were friends, Sam didn't mind hugging me at all. But when she tried opening up to the idea of us being more than friends, she was shaking every time I got close to her. I started feeling like I was holding a trembling puppy, but I know that's not what Sam is like. I know how kind, smart, and hard-working she is. But she was trying to put herself in a new mindset that she wasn't ready for yet, and I was pushing her into it, and… I just couldn't go through with that and hurt her. So I turned her down, in the worst way possible, apologized over and over again for it, but…"

"But you haven't talked it over?"

"No, we did. And I have been feeling better about it. But I still feel guilty for it. And still protective of her. But I suppose since she's with you, I should back off from watching over her."

"Well, I can't say it has been the most helpful to Samara that she's been overprotected. I had a difficult time seeing her as a capable individual at work who can one day lead her father's company. But she surprised me when she expressed she wanted to learn to become more business savvy, so I made it a priority to help her. To this day, she continues to surprise me."

Link relaxed a little bit more, even smiled a touch. "I have to admit, she's much more confident in herself lately. And she was crediting all that to you as her boss. But now I'm curious why _you_ are risking dating _your_ boss's daughter?"

Charles' genuine grin showed itself for the first time to Link as he answered, "Easily, because she's worth the risk. Samara made the decision when I finally opened up to her about how I felt. If she would have rejected me, I would have no recourse against her, same as how I have no recourse against her now."

"Because firing her would be suicide?"

"Trying to be _near_ that woman around her father is suicide."

Link huffed a small laugh. "Yeah, Mr. Young is a bit of a handful, to say the least."

"Hey Charles! Link!" Abe called from the grill, waving them over. "You guys mind helping Edgar get the food from the kitchen?"

"We're on it," Link answered. They started back up the walkway towards the house. "So, Angela said you fence? Like real sword fighting?"

"As if I'm a pirate straight from the Caribbean," he smirked.

Link laughed. "That, I'll have to see. You should make videos for Viewtube if you don't already."

Charles chortled back, "Wouldn't _that_ make Mr. Young more accepting of me?" The sarcasm brought them to hold their sides a bit as they went through the French doors. Sam, Angela, and Vikki headed out shortly after, suits on underneath oversized clothes for later, and towels and sacks of extra items in hand.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Angela apologized profusely for the third or fourth time by now. "I didn't mean to be hurtful or betray you in any way, it just… started happening and…"

"Angela, please stop apologizing," Sam assured with a grin. "I have a confession to make, anyway."

"You do?"

"Interesting," Vikki hushed.

Sam scraped her lip along her teeth. "Okay, so you know how things didn't go well with Link, right?" Both ladies nodded. "Before Charles and I started a relationship, I tried going on a date with someone. And things were going well, but at one point he wanted to kiss me."

Vikki's eyebrows raised as she said, "Oh."

Angela's eyes widened. "So, what happened?"

Sam continued. "Well, I started to feel like I shouldn't kiss him. Something felt weird about it, like it was wrong."

"You mean," Angela queried, "like with Link?"

"Yeah. Exactly like that. So I let him down and we ended things at that mutually. Next thing I know, I started going out with Charles. But after all that, I called Link to talk with him."

"How did it go?" They walked past the group of guys and went to set their things down.

Sam reminisced that day with them, from a few months back. She was careful to make sure that nothing wouldn't be revealed about Charles, especially since they had started seeing each other only a few weeks by then. Sam waited with fingers rapping along her coffee cup, then Link walked in early before his shift. He came straight to the table, greeting her with a hug. "Are you okay?"

"I'm great, actually. How are you?"

"Doing pretty good. Glad to see you, especially smiling again."

"I have a lot to smile for, Link."

"Really? Something good happen?"

"Well, I think I got a much better understanding of you."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when you took me home after getting Marshall to the hospital?" Anxiety bore into Link's skull with a jackhammer, until Sam explained the date she had with Dean. The moment she explained her feelings behind the kiss that they almost shared, the tension melted away again. And Sam continued to smile. His friend had returned.

"So, how do you feel?"

"Better," she beamed. "I feel so much better. And I wanted you to know."

Link's smile returned. "I'm really happy for you, Sam. And I'm sorry about what happened."

"Don't be. It's all forgiven." But in an instant, Sam detected Link was hiding trouble in his averting eyes. "Link… what's the matter?"

With a sigh, he confessed, "Sam, I really like someone… but now I think there's not a chance she would want to be with me after everything you and I went through…"

"And…?"

"She's a friend of yours…"

"You mean Angela?" Shock overcame him as she smirked, sipping her coffee.

"How… did you know?"

"I figured it out after you tried to do your signature move for begging for forgiveness without saying it the same way in front of everyone."

"Huh?"

"You served her coffee and said, 'just the way you like it.' I know you, Lincoln Hudson. That's the sort of thing you do when you feel guilty."

His face reddened, even more so compared to his time with Sam. "I… still feel guilty, Sam."

"I know you do. You both probably think I'd be upset if you were happy together after what you and I went through." He ran a hand through his sandy mane, wishing he could bury himself in a field. "Link," Sam reached for his other hand, bringing his eyes back to her. "Ask her out, and stop feeling guilty."

"Sam… I appreciate what you're saying… but I doubt Angela would accept. I mean, you two are close, and after all that…"

"Link," she urged, "I'm happy."

"And how can I be sure of that?"

"I'm still dating. I've learned so much about myself and how much more confident I'm becoming, I feel great compared to when you were crushing on me! Besides, I can tell how compatible you and Angela are for each other, and I want you to ask her out and see where it goes for you."

"But… what if history repeats itself? Or what if it screws up and we can't be friends again?"

"I doubt that it will, but if you're concerned about it you should be honest with her. Tell her you want to be with her, but it scares you at the same time. Maybe come up with a plan, just in case if it does."

"…Have you started seeing someone, Sam?"

"I told you I just started dating. But Link, if I were in your position, that's exactly what I would do. So please, ask Angela out… and be happy with her."

Angela let the words absorb into her. "So that's why," she murmured. "That's why Link said I wouldn't betray you."

Sam rested her hand on her friend's shoulder. "So," she asked, "you feel better now?" Angela hugged her friend tightly, nearly knocking her down to her feet and squeezing the air from her lungs. Sam croaked, "I guess that's a yes?"

Vikki tried tugging the redhead off by her shoulders. "Angela, hon, I think you're starting to kill Sam. You should let go of her now…"

"S-sorry!" Angela gasped, blushing and cringing as Sam regained her breathing.

"I'm okay," Sam assured with a thumbs up.

Olivia's phone piped up from behind them, its owner dressed in her cute pink suit. **"Can someone help me with my sunscreen? I'd rather not ask Edgar for his assistance on that."** Vikki volunteered as the others went to remove their outer pieces and pack them for later. Charles and Link returned with the plates of burger patties, cheese and buns. Charles examined the patties, "And these are completely meatless?"

"Yeah. I'm more of a beef guy myself, but for Abe's sake I'll eat these. And they're actually… really good…" Link stopped at the grill, his eyes widening towards the ocean waves. When Charles noticed him staring, he followed his gaze, his sky eyes also widening at the sight before him. Red and orange tiger striped pattern just covered Angela's assets, which meant that Vikki had a lot of skin to cover for sunscreen.

Charles eyes went straight to Sam, dressed sexier than he had seen yet in public, and comfortably showing off her skin? In a bikini, no less, Sam's two-piece showed every line and curve in all the right places just for her. But it was still cute, decorated with a little white ruffle on top, the layered polka dots on a sea green worked so beautifully with her skin. Abe nudged Link's shoulder. "Dude, c'mon," he urged, snapping both men out of their trances. "I need those burger patties. And if you're done staring at your girlfriends, the showers are just down that way so you can change into trunks. Edgar is sending up the drone right now."

Charles raised an eyebrow as they set the plates on the table and grill. "A drone?"

"No lifeguards means no one checks to see if any dangerous creatures are nearby. Olivia makes sure the area is free of sharks and jellyfish with the best drone and thermal imaging on the market." Edgar nodded in their direction, launching the device into the air. "And Link," Abe continued, putting the first meatless patties down, "there's a couple of surfboards by the showers. Assuming the water is safe, maybe you and Dallas can catch some waves."

"That… might actually work. Thanks, Abe."

"Charles?" Sam's innocent voice sent goosebumps instantaneously down Charles' spine. When he turned to see his girlfriend in front of him, holding the sunscreen, he could swear that the world around him turned pink and sparkly with bubbles. "I figured you might need this," she gazed at him, holding up the bottle. Doesn't this sort of thing only happen in anime?

"Thank you, Samara," he blushed. "I'll be back with it shortly." Product in hand, Charles retreated towards the showers as Sam headed back to a group of smirking girlfriends.

She looked at them with confusion. "What?"

 **"You mean you didn't see the obvious googley eyes he had for you?"** Olivia tapped out. **"He was taken by seeing you."** Her green eyes scanned Sam up and down, making her blush when she realized how she was dressed in front of him.

"Oh cripes…" she mumbled. The other girls giggled.

Angela wrapped her arm around her. "Don't be ashamed, Sam! We're at the beach, let's have fun!" Edgar was soon giving the all clear for the water. No intrusive creatures detected, the girls were eager to splash around a bit in the shallow area. Link soon charged at the waves with Dallas, surfboards in hand, challenging themselves to tame the wild waves. Angela's eyes locked onto Link's buff frame. "You're staring, Angela," Vikki teased.

"N-no I'm not!" Vikki and Sam tag-teamed with their giggles of encouragement, until Sam was scooped into a familiar pair of arms.

"Charles!"

"Off with these," he said, removing her glasses and handing them off to a grinning Vikki. Now dressed in his blue and white leafy swim trunks, his pale body held hers as though he were a god carved from marble. "If you'll excuse us, ladies," he mischievously smirked, then took off with Sam, wading deeper into the waters.

"Have fun you two," Vikki giggled, turning to the shore to safely place the glasses.

Angela shouted, "Try to not get her pregnant!"

"Wait, Charles!" Sam squirmed, trying to find any excuse, "Your contacts!"

"Already out, Bunty. Now to get you all wet!"

Sam squeaked as Charles dunked her into the water, following her under the surface. Her hair slicked and stuck to her skin as she surfaced, while his dripped with droplets from the ends of his locks down to his shoulders. Playfully, he grabbed her waist and spun her as much as he could against the water, making her laugh with a glee she hadn't felt before. Link and Dallas caught waves further back, testing their limits for a bit longer, rejoining the others for swimming around.

Edgar took over the grill for Abe, giving him the chance to enjoy the summer day with everyone else, while Bowser stayed diligently nearby the grill. Taking turns on the boards, everyone took turns surfing, alternating between that and swimming. Link and Angela finally seemed to relax into their apparent relationship, his hands holding her waist, especially as they traversed the waves together. Later as everyone ate, Charles was surprised that he also was enjoying the meatless patties, making everyone laugh. Beach volleyball, swimming, and building sand sculptures took up most of the afternoon with everyone lingering in the sun, billowing laughter and relaxation in the air around them.

~~~

Sam returned from the showers, drying herself with a towel and trying not to trip over her flip flops over anything she couldn't see. Finding her bag, she dug out her favorite cardigan and wrapped herself in it just before the soft steps behind her stopped and their owner clutched her by the waist. "Eek!" Charles lifted her back into his arms.

"There you are, Bunty," he smirked. "I can't have you tripping all over the beach, now can I?"

"My god Charles," she half whined, "I'm never going to get used to your antics."

"Oh I'm sure you will," he grinned, carrying her. "I enjoy them too much to stop."

She squinted a little at his face. "Are you wearing your contacts again?"

"Of course. I wanted to make sure you saw my face as much as possible today."

"Kind of hard to do when my glasses aren't on," she teased. "Where are you taking me now?"

"Just to a spot of our own while we have a minute." Bowser barked in greeting as he laid back in one of the swim tubes. From what Sam could see, Charles had grabbed a small picnic basket and set up some wine and a snack for them. He even made it romantic by having a small vase of flowers nearby. "Hold on," he warned, trying as gracefully as possible to sit down with her in his arms. As he flumped back onto the striped blanket, Sam realized he had changed back into his day clothes, a blue fern Hawaiian shirt, completely unbuttoned, and khaki pants. Her hand had gripped his shirt upon landing, and a blush spread as she felt his legs cradle her and hands caressed her thigh and down her back, pushing her cardigan lower.

Sam struggled to find the words as she glimpsed into crystal eyes that softly gazed into her. "This… looks… um… tasty."

"Are you sure you mean the food, Samara? Or are you talking about me?" He leaned in closer, brushing his lips temptingly against hers. Unable to resist, Sam ran her fingers into his hair as their lips pressed and danced to the rushing waves.

"You need to be more careful," she murmured as lips parted. "My friends could be anywhere."

He chuckled. "Actually, we're all alone right now. At least, mostly alone." Sam looked up to him with curiosity, so he pointed down towards a corner of the blanket where her glasses had been resting. Putting them back on, Sam could finally see he was right. Dallas and Abe were a distance away, digging deep into the sand, while Olivia, Vikki and Edgar wandered to find seashells. Angela and Link had disappeared completely, leaving Sam and Charles alone on the beach for potentially a while.

"Um, you weren't planning on doing anything… were you?"

"Why do you ask, Bunty?" His whispers on her neck sent tiny shocks down her spine. "Would you like me to make love to you right here, out in the open?"

"N-n-n-no!" Charles laughed as he planted kisses on her neck and back to that perfect mouth of hers.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll behave," he smiled, nuzzling her nose. "Just stay like this with me."

"How can I refuse? But let me scooch a little." Sam resettled herself so she could face the ocean shore, giving Charles the chance to open the bottle and pour a smooth blend into the glasses. Sam looked over at the label. "Is this something fancy?"

"I'm always indulging with something more expensive to try new blends," he handed her a glass, "but I'm a glutton for this one. Supposedly, it isn't anything fanciful, but its made locally and the blueberries cut the bite of alcohol that I always taste with others." After filling his, he clinked his glass with hers in a giddy toast, encouraging her to drink.

"This _is_ good," she exclaimed.

A chuckle escaped him. "You sound like I did when I tried the burgers."

Sam giggled and imitated him from earlier, causing the both of them to laugh. "You're certain they're _meatless?"_

She snuggled back into his arms, his chest pressed against her back and his head at her shoulder, as they sipped the sweet drink. Even Bowser was so relaxed, he started to sleep with his belly up. Charles relaxed around her and broke the silence. "Now that your friends have met me, what do they think?"

"They like you," Sam smiled. "I can tell."

"Good. I was hoping so. They're quite fun."

"You think so?"

"Of course, Bunty. They're so unique like you. I admire that."

"So are you. I think you fit right in with them, especially with your talent for puzzles and fencing."

"I always felt like I was a geek at heart."

"Yeah," she giggled. "This was so great…" Her dreamy sigh was laden with her falling wistful smile.

"What's wrong, Samara?"

"Nothing…" Charles gave her his stoic concerned manager gaze, the one that reminded her instantly she was incapable of lying to him. She rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. It's just that… today felt so freeing. For once, we actually hung out with people as a couple, and I was so thrilled that it's going so well. It just made me hopeful that we could date more openly than this someday. It makes me feel like…"

"Like we're a normal couple?" Sam nodded and drank more wine. "Does it make you upset to keep us a secret?"

"Kinda. I mean, I know we're not ready to tell Dad yet… or _if_ we will be… but it'd be nice to be more open after we left the office. Maybe post pictures, that sort of thing."

"I know… but even if we were, we couldn't tell anyone in the office."

"True, that would probably be worse than Dad, considering everyone might try to talk to you through me." The painful silence of reality stung them as they sipped their wine a bit longer.

"Samara," Charles murmured, "are you happy?"

Sam hummed a moment, thinking it over. "I can't think of anyone else I want to be with than you, Charles. You make me happy."

"But are you happy regardless of keeping us a secret?"

She tilted her head to look into his eyes. "Of course, Charles. Why wouldn't I be?" Charles leaned in and kissed her once more, her sweet nature seemingly pouring into him with every breath. This Persephone in his arms. How could he possibly deserve her?

"Samara," he wavered, "I-"

"Hey lovebirds!" Dallas' crude address caught their attention quickly. "If you're done makin' out, we could use your boss' help over here!"

"God, even here, I'm the boss?"

"Don't mind Dallas," Sam squeezed her arms around his. "He's just… Dallas." Charles gave her one last kiss on her forehead. "Until later," he whispered. "Stay and enjoy the wine." He shuffled his way to his feet and jogged over to help. Whatever they were digging, it seemed like it would be a while before they were done. Sam sighed as she laid back on the blanket, shaded by the umbrella. "Oh Bowser," she sighed. "What have I gotten myself into?" No amount of wine would let her forget that maybe she and Charles had left some things unsaid. Perhaps they were never meant to be.


	6. Nighttime Bonfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With things left unsaid once more, how are Sam and Charles going to move forward in their relationship?

"It's a bonfire pit," Abe presented proudly. "We sit along the edge here, and light the fire in this center. Because its sunken in a little, the heat stays trapped, which means everyone stays warm and comfortable." The group looked at the oddly shaped structure before them. It looked as though the sand was carved into a giant curved couch, with a grilling pit in the center.

"That's… pretty brilliant," Link admitted.

"Still looks weird as fuck," Dallas muttered. Link nudged him with a scowl. "Hey man, you dig this shit all damn day and tell me it doesn't look that way!"

"You still shouldn't be rude," his big brother scolded.

"You know, we were looking for you for a while to help us out and you were nowhere to be found! Just where the hell were ya?"

Angela quickly glared at the teen while faking an excited tone, "Hey, Abe! Shouldn't we light this baby up already?" Dallas gritted his teeth, knowing he couldn't argue with Angela of all people, and remained silent.

Abe's confidence dripped into his leadership skills again. "C'mon guys! Help me set this thing up! I need firewood, marshmallow skewers, and the rest of the food." By the time sun had begun to sink towards the horizon, the bonfire was lit and everyone was cooking meatless sausages over the flickering flames. Edgar fired up another hot dog while Olivia crunched into a sticky s'more. Dallas tried to sneak a beer, but Abe snagged it right back before his eyes, allowing Link to share a s'more with Angela, kissing her cheek as her mouth closed over the gooey mess. Vikki practiced her final yoga flow on the surface sand, soaking in the sunset.

The sight of her friends in such a relaxed state around her and Charles made everything bittersweet in her head. Sam managed to toast her marshmallow perfectly, squishing it onto a fresh cracker and chocolate bar he gingerly held. "You're so good at this," Charles grinned playfully. "You'll have to teach me how to do the toasting part."

"Don't you want to try the next one?" She topped the melty blob with another cracker.

"Not after this one. I'm already eating my limit." They messily devoured their treat, sharing chuckled glances. The company felt blissful, enjoying the warmth of the fire in their pit. Vikki soon joined, bringing Angela's phone and a speaker dock.

"Angela, let's have a little more fun," she suggested with a sly grin.

"Oh hell yeah!" She hopped up and picked her playlist. "Now we're speaking my language!" Heavy guitars and drums came together in a rock melody as Sleetstorm started playing over the speaker.

"That sounds interesting," Charles murmured after a short while.

"Interesting in a good way?" Sam warily checked.

He looked over to her with a smirk. "I didn't know rock could sound… sexy and fun."

"You're damn right this is good shit!" Angela grinned at the couple with her hands on her hips. "You hang out with us long enough, you'll be hearing a lot more of this." The next song kicked in, something with a bit more of a pop sound, but very familiar. "Yes!" Angela grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her up. "Dance with me, Sam!" Vikki also joined as the ladies danced in front of the fires, almost resembling witches in the shadows as Angela sang along to the lyrics. It was entertaining to see them let loose to the music, seemingly rehearsed for a music video.

Link took out his phone and snapped photos of Angela which she readily posed just right for. Charles soon followed after, though Sam didn't notice. _'Perfect,'_ he grinned, happily admiring the charismatic spirit she displayed as she danced. This opportunity was rare, if ever existent beyond now, and it couldn't go to waste. Olivia bobbed her head and smiled to the thrumming bass and Dallas waved his arms to the invisible drum set he imagined in front of him. Never had Charles experienced a group like this, a mix of nerds and gamers who happened to enjoy music like heavy rock. Immersed in this new vibe, he could see the intertwining relationships Sam had grown to develop long before he was ever in her life, the friends whom she felt comfortable with when her father and brother were overbearing and overprotective. A yearning pulled from his chest, a silent wish for the camaraderie he had left behind.

"Hey, boss man," Angela teased, a mischievous grin widening as she stood in front of him. "Its your turn for a song!"

Charles flinched, eyebrows raised and his expression dumbfounded. "W-what?"

She reached down and grabbed his hand, and _damn_ this woman was strong, pulling him to his feet to approach the phone and speaker dock. Angela persisted, "Come on! Its your turn to pick a song now."

"For… what?"

She pulled out her phone. "I like seeing what people like to pick for music. It gives me a sense of… you. And since _you_ are new to us, and since you are dating Sam… you get pick a song. Any song. So long as you enjoy it with us." She held up his hand and placed her phone in it, the rite of passage now in his possession and all eyes on him to take up Angela's dare. Her grassy eyes stared into the ice crystals of his orbs, revealing a fiery spirit that burned for the protection of her friend. Now he could see through the façade. Angela was the one whose opinion was the loudest and most passionate, but everyone still reflected the same dare in their eyes.

Just playing along with this trope would be a task, but choosing a song? What if he chose wrong? What would this prove, anyway? And yet, the questions still lingered with that challenge before him, ringing in his mind. _"Will you fit in with us? Are you someone we can trust? Are you really a good fit for Sam?"_ Turning away meant rejecting Sam as much as her friend. Choosing unwisely could be salvageable, but awkward for some time. And it occurred to Charles, for once, he would like to be the life of the party like he sometimes was back in Wales. He grinned, using the search bar and selecting. He then looked over to Dallas and asked, "You play drums, am I right?"

"Yeah? And?" Charles handed back the phone to Angela face-down, then proceeded to gather some of the driftwood and placed it strategically in front of him. Both Link and his brother watched in confusion, seeing the log stump placed at his feet until Charles handed two sticks. "I'll need your skills to help keep the tempo," the Welshman explained. "And I personally feel its better to feel the music somehow."

Dallas scoffed as he took the makeshift drumsticks in hand. "I don't even know what you picked."

"I'm sure you'll know it," he grinned back. With a little turn, he took back the phone and started up the song with a short delay, giving him time to clip it back into the dock. Then they started to hear the beat of the band King. Charles slapped each thigh and clapped his hands in tandem, to which everyone followed suit. Even Olivia's eyes lit up, recognizing the tempo and knowing she could enjoy it just as much as everyone else with a toothy grin. Edgar nodded in approval at her joy, and to the beat. Dallas shrugged and tapped his sticks on the log accordingly, and everyone was soon into his groove.

And just as Freddie Venus chanted his mantra in his famous hit, Charles' voice suddenly went back in time and seemed to summon the deceased singer's voice in his own throat! _'Oh my god,'_ Sam mouthed with disbelief, _'he can sing?'_ Angela's jaw dropped as he rambled the lyrics in perfect time, leading everyone into the famous chanting refrain. She soon admitted with her creeping smile that Charles was acceptable, his nature being so much more fun and free around them, especially as he looked over to Sam and grinned as she sang to her, the delightful joy in surprise beaming from her expression. His performance well received as the song ended, Charles took his bow as everyone cheered. Even Bowser yipped proudly.

But to be sure, he checked for Angela's approval. "How was that?"

She bobbed her head in thought. "Sam has a very good judge in character. Keep being good to her."

Bowser ran around Sam's legs, barking some more. "Oh, I think I better walk him," she said. She hopped around the pit and reached for her bag to retrieve the leash.

Charles lifted the small dog to the main level and climbed out. "I'll go with you," he offered, holding out his hand. Sam accepted with a smile, climbing out of the pit as everyone's little teases echoed after them. But Angela turned the music back on to another hit that everyone quickly became distracted by, allowing for the couple to disappear with the dog. A small distance later, Bowser sniffed around at the grass. Charles grinned back towards the bonfire, noticing Link's arm around Angela's waist, who were now the recipients of the incessant teasing.

"I'm glad they're together," Sam sighed.

"Was everyone waiting for it to happen?"

"Not at first. Actually, Link seemed to crush on me for a while, but I barely thought of him as more than a friend."

He chuckled, "Somehow that doesn't surprise me."

Sam slugged his shoulder playfully. "What is that supposed to mean?!"

Charles hooked her waist with an arm, bringing her closer to him with a yelp. "It means _you,_ Samara Young, need the right emotional connection before you consider being with someone."

"And where do you get that idea, Mr. Jones?"

His smirk sent butterflies straight to her chest. "Because I flirted with you at least a few different times before we finally went to dinner on a real date, and you had no idea. To be honest, I thought it was irresistibly cute."

"So if you were attracted to me then, were you going to make me into one of your arrangements?" Her worried face drew him in, pressing a reassuring kiss to her lips.

"Absolutely not, Samara," he hushed gently. "That would have destroyed us both. I was just merely in denial and literally flirting with my god's most sacred angel foolishly."

She smiled with a soft laugh again. "My dad is your god?"

"As long as he wants to keep me around but threaten to take away my job and send me back to Wales, he certainly has my balls on a plate." Bowser tugged at the leash to keep walking as Sam bellowed out a laugh.

Between her panting breaths she asked, "Should… should we keep walking?"

He laughed with her, "Yes." The terrier-corgi pulled them towards the sandy shore, just beyond the reach of the waves as they edged close with each shush. Moonlight danced in the waters and lit the landscape as they walked barefoot, their hands held between them.

"So pretty here," Sam murmured into the serene silence.

"You certainly are."

"I was talking about the view, Charles," she giggled.

"And you're a part of my view, Samara," he kissed her hand. "And it's much more beautiful with you in it." Charles could see the pink staining her cheeks under the moon. "So beautiful." If only her eyes didn't look so uneasy, which made his smile fade. "What's wrong, Bunty?" He ran his fingers through her hair, cupping her cheek toward the end.

"I… It's nothing…" she lifted her face from his palm and kept walking.

"Samara… why are you lying?"

Her face remained pointed towards the ocean. "Let me rephrase, then. I don't want to talk about it and risk pressuring you or hurting either one of us."

"I take it that you're worried about our relationship?"

She sighed with defeat. "Yes."

"Are you certain you don't want to talk about it?"

"I don't know how much good that will do."

"It was wonderful to be ourselves today, wasn't it?"

"It was…" But that wasn't the question in her mind, Charles could tell. In honesty, Sam wanted so much to ask him how he truly felt about her, which weighed her heart so heavily it was now sinking it in the ocean before them, a seemingly limitless depth of complications and dangers that they had been swimming in together for months now. How many was it? Three, maybe four? Longer? All this time, they had been seeing the breath taking, playful aspects of their time together, in a haze of pretty colors and tousled sheets. But she felt this was supposed to be a discovery for them, trying to understand their depths and how far they could dive in this endless darkness together.

_'I'm right here, ready to dive deeper,'_ she thought as she watched the waves. _'I tested the waters by introducing my friends to him, and it worked. Even Link likes him. But how can I even think to tell Dad about us if he doesn't feel the same way as I do? Is he ready to swim further with me?'_

"Actually," he squeezed her hand a little, getting her attention, "I was thinking we should tell your father about us."

Sad dark eyes stared ahead, unable to look directly at him. "We really don't have to, Charles," Sam assured. "I… don't even know…" her words caught themselves in her chest, crushing her heart.

He read her mind and finished her thought, "Where things are going?" She stared at the ground, giving a single nod.

"I'm… sorry…" She picked up her pace, stepping ahead of him to hide her quivered lip and her glossing orbs. Bowser trotted quickly beside her, now concerned for his human's well-being.

"I promise I'll talk to him with you," Charles called out, respecting her space and remaining behind her. "I want to tell him how much you make me happy." That slowed her steps to a halt, though she was clearly afraid to look at him. Sam wiped at her cheek with her hand, no doubt to wipe away tears now. "But I will admit I'm nervous, Samara. Mr. Young is protective over you, and I'm not sure how your father will react to hearing about us seeing each other and having a relationship, regardless of how much I'm in love with you."

Slowly, her head raised and she turned back to face him. "What did you say, Charles?"

He closed the gap between them, and gently held her arms. "It's been a long time since I said such words, Bunty, but I know what's in my heart now. And I know I want to keep what's between us and help it grow. I love you, Samara Young."

Stilled by his words, Sam froze as their meaning flowed through her, warmed her, and eventually elicited a small smile from her. Charles waited patiently for her, slowly bringing her into his arms. "I love you," he whispered again. Sam sobbed in delight. "Charles," she shushed, "I love you too." Tears rained from sky eyes as he pulled her into a tender kiss.

The soft breeze from the waters drifted across their room through the large window, the full moon above lighting it up for them as they quietly entered. Everyone was still at the pit, though the music had died down a little since everyone started telling stories and joking around for a while, leaving the bungalow completely empty, besides them. Silently, Charles locked the door behind him, keeping the rest of the world and his fears away from his mind. No distractions now, especially since Bowser was content in the mudroom downstairs. His eyes never left his Bunty's as he shut them into the universe they surrendered into.

_'No regrets now,'_ Charles told himself.

_'I'm not afraid anymore,'_ Sam pondered. Soundless steps graced the hardwood floor as he approached her, eyes locked in the glow of the moon. Charles fingertips reached for her glasses, removing them with careful precision and placing them on the nightstand. His silky hands cupped her cheeks. Slow breaths steadied their heartbeats as their foreheads rested together, gold tresses mixing along dark locks. "Samara," Charles murmured, "I love you."

"I love you too, Charles."

"I'm scared to feel this way."

"Why?"

"Because I loved once," his voice hitched, trying to remain composed. "But she broke my heart. I can barely fathom that I want to give it away again… but I'm going to trust you with it."

She sighed, a tepid and anguished smile struggled to spread. "If it helps Charles, I'm scared, too. I've never done this before, and even though I want to give you my heart, I'm worried I'll do something wrong or I won't be good enough for you. So please be patient with my heart, Charles. I haven't that level of pain, but I don't want to lose you."

She felt his lips press to her forehead reassuringly. "Don't be frightened of me, Bunty," he smiled. "I have always felt undeserving of your love since the moment I realized how much I was attracted to you. But if you see me as worthy of you, and if you're willing to trust me to love you with everything I have, then that's exactly what I'm going to do. You're _still_ far too precious for me to let go."

"Then please don't," she breathed, resting her hands at his jaw and guiding his lips to meet hers. "I don't want to let you go, Charles Jones." His fingers wove into the hem of her shirt, grasping and slowly lifting it overhead to let it flutter to the floor. Sam had showered and changed to dry clothes after her time in the ocean, but he could still taste a hint of it on her skin as his lips travelled down her neck.

"I don't plan on walking away from you, Samara Young," he murmured, fingertips stroking her jawline as he looked back into her eyes. "Not after everything I have begun to see with you."

"What do you mean by that?"

He brought his lips to hers, whispering against them, "I see possibility." Her hands felt along his shirt front, unbuttoning the lapel as he spoke. "I see possibility of a future with you… of living together… spending more time with your friends and your family," she shifted the shirt down his back, dropping it to the floor. "I see myself taking you to Wales… meeting my mum…"

"It sounds beautiful," her wistful voice was music to him as her hands traversed from his chest to his neck.

"What do you dream of, Samara?" His voice soothed the question to her heart. No surprises or catching her off guard, just reaching her gently.

"I might want to have a family… and children someday… but what about you?" His Distrust reformed within him, plucking another key and clicking it into one of the nearby chests.

"After my divorce, I had thought I would never allow myself the opportunity for that sort of dream again. But now… I may have hope for a family of my own… someday." His confession flowed so easily from him, imprinting a cheerful smile Sam had not witnessed ever since their first time coming to bed together. Was he optimistic about her even then?

She stood on her tiptoes to kiss that beloved smile, soaking in his wish. "I think I'd like that very much… someday… but for now, I want to be here in this moment with you."

"As you wish, my seren ddisglair." Charles brought his lips to her once more, so passionate, so pleasingly soft. His hands caressed down her back and around her hips for her waistline, searching for the buttons on her shorts. Sam broke the kiss with a playful grin, moving quickly to take off the troublesome garment and remove his khakis and boxer briefs as well, trailing kisses along his pelvic region and back up his chest as she rose to meet him. He smirked, stealing her idea and kissing down her neck, between her breasts, and down her belly in the most languid, supple touches until they met the lace edge of her cotton panties.

Thumbs hooked the delicate material and guided them down to meet the floor. Sam reached behind her and unhooked her bra as well, relishing in the beauty she felt enraptured in from shedding the remainder of her chrysalis. _'Such radiance,'_ Charles admired. Sam led the way to sit at the edge of the bed, encouraging him to follow her, kissing her sweet lips, laying next to her, feeling her soft core beneath his fingers.

Sweet surrender in her moans enchanted him as her folds drew moist. Their hands intertwined, pressing into the sheets as he entered her. Raspy breaths escaped them. "I love you, Samara Young," Charles stated again, possibilities written into each word and impressed to her heart. Sam repeated them back to him, the same yearning wishes reflecting back, "I love you, Charles Jones." He seared more kisses to her lips as he moved inside her. Hips rolled in perfect rhythm, the same passions between them blossomed with a new tenderness. Such love between them, and now a much greater understanding had built because of it. For all the times they had been together, this made them feel truly melded into one soul.

Cuddled into his arms, Sam was already slipping into sleep from hearing the ocean waves. Charles kissed her forehead and stroked her cheek… _'I won't walk away from this fear anymore,'_ he promised himself. _'Not when she is worth the possibilities. I'll dive as far as she needs to take me.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> • Bonfire Pit: for an image to reference, check out this pic. . /no7fxMsA1da1xUoQ9
> 
> • Sleetstorm: Halestorm, an incredible rock band led by lead singer Lzzy Hale
> 
> • King: Queen, a rock band based out of London, Britain that made several songs we know and love still to this day, such as Bohemian Rhapsody and We Will Rock You (that's the one I imagined Charles singing to)
> 
> • Freddie Venus: Freddie Mercury, the original singer from the band Queen. Sadly, he passed away from contracting AIDS. But even today, he will rock you!
> 
> • seren ddisglair: shining star


End file.
